Gig'em Aggies!

There's nothing like game day in Aggieland. Kyle Field is consistantly voted one of the top five college football venues in the nation, one reason why Steve and I enjoy Aggie football. The win-loss record certainly is not why we go! We have had season tickets for nearly 15 years. Gameday favorites include TAMU Corps march-in, national anthem with a military fighter jet flyover, followed by "Texas, Our Texas", singing of "Spirit of Aggieland, and finally the team arrives and we all sway to the Aggie War Hymn. Halftime features the "nationally famous Texas Aggie Band", an all corps, military style band. There are too many Aggie traditions to mention here, but be sure that on Aggie game days Steve and I are part of the 12th Man, always pulling for TAMU.

Fishing

Late in August Mark and Shauna had a wedding in Dallas so Kylie and Andrew stayed with Nanie and Papa for a long weekend. Andrew and Kylie were able to enjoy the Aggie Fan Zone before the A&M football game. Kylie attended her first Aggie football game and loved every minute of the experience. After living in Austin all her life she is a big Longhorn fan, but decided that Texas A&M was a pretty great university as well.

We also took Andrew and Kylie fishing at the church pond. Kylie's first cast netted her a good size catfish. After that it was a steady stream of sunfish and bluegills for Andrew and Kylie. They thought fishing was "awesome"!

Iowa Visit

August found Steve and I following our Colorado vacation with a trip to Iowa to see family.....my mother, brother and family and Steve's mother, brothers and families. While there we celebrated Donna Crouses' 80th birthday with a dinner at "The Radish" in Grimes. We all enjoyed the meal and especially the birthday cake. I enjoyed staying with my mom for a couple of days at her new retirement apartment, visiting her homestead farm and the cemetary where my Dad and many other relatives are buried. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit!

Colorado Adventures

In late July, Steve and I spent two weeks in Summit County Colorado. Two couples joined us the first week and we had a blast! This year we went white water rafting on the Arkansas River, hiked, biked on the more than 50 miles of bike trails in the county, and fished. Steve caught 2 gorgeous (and delicious) rainbow trout at a lake near Vail. This is the second year that we have stayed in Frisco and we enjoy the central location for all the activities. We are already planning to return next summer.

The Big Apple

The Crouses, Alexanders and Hollons (adults only trip) spent July 2-6 in New York City! We all missed Kevin and Heather, but hope they can join us on the next big family trip...hopefully Disneyworld in 2010! Here's what else was on the itinerary:

• Enjoyed a Broadway musical, In The Heights, 2008 Tony award winner for best musical
• Took a bike tour of Central Park
• Enjoyed several great NYC restaurants
• Shopped on 5th Avenue
• Watched the Macy's fireworks from the 35th floor of a skyscraper right on the water
• Went to a Yankees game at the historic Yankee Stadium in the Bronx
• Took in NYC at night from "Top of the Rock" --top of Rockefeller Center
• and much more.........

Please take a look at the short NYC slideshow below the posts. Click on "scrapblog" at the lower right hand corner to view larger.